In 2018, the Cal football secondary did not just earn a nickname — "Takers" — it set a new standard of playing defensive back at Cal. Led by their position coach Gerald Alexander, Cal's defensive backs are a boisterous and passionate group whose energy electrifies the entire team, and they are hungry for more in 2019.
 
"I'm not sure I've been around a collective group at that position that motivated and coachable," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said.
 
Part of the secondary's motivation comes directly from Alexander. An aspect of his game plan is to instill in his players to compete with great confidence, great swagger — he is continually looking for ways to reinvigorate his position group.
 
"He's one of the coolest coaches I have ever had — funny, understanding. You can talk to him about anything, from plays to just life," Jaylinn Hawkins said. "He makes everything fun, and he wants us to just go out there and make plays, that's the coolest part."
 
Though Alexander did not know it at the time, a routine bit of morning motivation that he gave his players would end up taking the shape of the secondary's calling card of the 2018 season, laying the foundation for a new legacy in Cal football.
 
About halfway through Cal's 2018 fall training camp, to help break up the monotony of practice and training, Alexander sought to give his players some extra energy before a morning practice. Motivation to grind.
 
"Has anybody seen the movie, The Takers?" Alexander asked.
 
"I ended up showing the movie poster, giving them the story… and they loved it," Alexander said. "They ended up just adopting it."
 
Internally, the defensive backs had adopted a new mindset, but the title would not simply be handed over — it would take hard work and proven results.
 
"We are in the business of making plays," Alexander said. "I never want them to prepare or play the game where they're playing not to get beat. Every time that we are on the field, we have to go out there with the mindset that we're coming to take something."
 
Following Cal's 24-17 win over North Carolina in its 2018 season opener — a victory that featured four interceptions from Cal's defense, three coming from its secondary — the nickname went public.
 
Takers.
 
And take they did; Cal finished the 2018 season ranked second in the nation amongst FBS teams with 21 interceptions. Hawkins led the Pac-12 – and ranked tied for third nationally – with six interceptions, followed by Ashtyn Davis with four and Traveon Beck with three.
 
Equipped with an array of nicknames, from "Rodeo" (Davis), to "Hollywood" (Hawkins) to "Shoulders" (Josh Drayden) — and many more — Cal's secondary is ready to get better and make big plays every time they take the field in the upcoming season.
 
"Everybody eats. If you are in the game, you have to eat," Hawkins said.  "That's a good representation of our squad. Eat for the man next to you — if he gets a pick, I want to get a pick too."
 
With a solid foundation already in place, Cal has the unique ability to dive into the details and nuances of the game early on in the training process — to build upon last year's successes and learn from the miscues.
 
Camryn Bynum noted that the secondary "left a lot on the table," last season. The defensive backs want to capitalize on every missed opportunity they had. Moving forward, the key to improvement for the position group is being sharp and focusing on the details.
 
What sets the bar for the secondary are the things that people don't see — when the stadium is empty, when there is nobody in the stands cheering.
 
"A lot of them have played probably upwards of 2,000 game reps, and they are out here practicing like they are freshmen trying to make the squad," Wilcox said.
 
Though the defensive backs prefer to keep their focus on the here-and-now, it is hard to deny the legacy that they are helping build. Being a "Taker," is a mindset that lives at Cal. The title is a direct reflection of the secondary that created a new standard of play and built a foundation for generations of players to come.
 
"These guys have done a good job of taking advantage of the opportunities that they had, and leaving something better than they found it," Alexander said. "I think that's what anybody wants to do when you talk about the word 'legacy.' I think it's just as simple as that."